International Health Insurance for International Citizens - January « 2012

Archive for January, 2012

Cholera Outbreak

Tuesday, January 31st, 2012

October 2010 marked the start of the Cholera outbreak in Haiti. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention outbreak notice is still in effect today. Since the first case of Cholera, over 470,000 Haitians have become ill due to this disease. The earthquake in January of 2010 destroyed many homes leading to a number of displaced people. Although the exact means of how this disease was re-introduced into Haiti has not been determined, it is thought to be related to a combination of unsteady public health and flooding after the quake. The situation is still being battled today. The 2010 outbreak was the first in over 100 years for Haiti and although all areas of the country have been affected, the largest portion of the disease is in Artibonite Departmente.

Haiti is not the only area affected by this disease. In November of 2010 the Dominican Republic was also hit with a Cholera outbreak which the CDC still has an outbreak notice warning in effect for.

Cholera might seem like a disease of the past but it is still responsible for over 100,000 deaths globally each year. Characteristics of the disease that call for immediate attention include vomiting, watery diarrhea and leg cramps. When treated right away full recovery is possible without any long term effects.

One basic way to fight the battle against Cholera is by ensuring proper sanitation measures are taken. Since the disease is caused by the spread of a bacteria, the CDC advise that hands should be properly washed and only treated water should be used for drinking and cooking, all messes should be cleaned up as necessary, food should always be thoroughly cooked, and toilets or other proper means of fecal matter disposal needs to be used at all times.

Tags: Cholera Outbreak
Posted in Expat News | Comments Off

Political Evacuation

Tuesday, January 24th, 2012

In countries where there is political unrest, evacuation is a common consideration for many travelers. Those who are traveling should be aware of the political situation of where they are traveling to and if there are any warnings issued for their destination. This should be something that is as commonly looked into as the latest flight update.

If a political warning is issued by the United States government after your arrival in your host country, the Atlas Travel plan can provide coverage of up to $10,000 for political evacuation along with providing you other international travel medical coverage benefits like hospitalization/doctor visits, lost luggage, repatriation of remains, accidental death and dismemberment, complications of pregnancy and prescription medication. This plan can be purchased for a minimum of 5 days and up to twelve months with renewability up to 3 years in total.

If you would like to explore your options by comparing plans that include political evacuation, you might also want to check out the Global Medical Platinum plan. The platinum plan option provides $10,000 lifetime maximum for political evacuation and repatriation. The Global Medical Platinum plan is a comprehensive major medical plan, other benefits include surgery, transplants, mental health, hospitalization, vision, dental and emergency evacuation.

If you already have medical insurance coverage, but are in need of political evacuation coverage, you are able to purchase a stand-alone emergency evacuation insurance plan. This plan will give you up to $10,000 in coverage to ensure you are able to evacuate to a location outside of your host country that the warning has been issued in. This plan also offers a few other key benefits like emergency medical evacuation, emergency reunion and repatriation of mortal remains. With this plan you are able to choose from three periods of coverage options: three months, six months and twelve months.

During your travels, ensure that you keep up to date on travel warnings and have proper coverage for any situation.

Tags: emergency evacuation, political evacuation
Posted in Evacuation Insurance | 1 Comment »

Australia Day

Tuesday, January 17th, 2012

Have you been itching for a visit down under? If so, now would be a good time to visit Australia to see how they show their Aussie pride. Many countries have a day that allows for celebration and recognition of their national achievement, and Australia is no different, their day to commemorate is January 26.

On this monumental day for Australians there are ceremonies, community events, live entertainment and of course fireworks.

Along with the celebratory events of this holiday are moments of recognition. The National Australia Day Council names one individual the Australian of the Year in each of the following categories: Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year and Australia’s Local Hero.

If you do decide to visit Australia during this time, you will have plenty of events to choose from to celebrate with the locals. The National Australia Day Council is a group of 13 individuals who work year round for this special day. Any holiday that has a team dedicated to making sure it is spectacular is sure not to disappoint.

There are events throughout the country, below are a few that you won’t want to miss if you are in the area.

Brisbane:

If you attend the Australia Day Festival in The Parklands, South Bank at 10 am you can start you day off with a multi-faith ceremony that will have representatives from the Hindu, Jewish, Sikh, Baha’i, Taoist, Christianity, Buddhist and Islamic communities. You can follow this with attending a traditional flag raising ceremony. Throughout the rest of the day you can expect a variety of entertainers from the Cook Islands Cultural Dance group, to the Ferny Grove State High School Percussion Ensemble to the Cleveland Air Magic. From 7pm-9:30pm you can look forward to a firework show.

Canberra:

If you are more of an early bird, the Commonwealth Park in Canberra has performances starting at 7am and lasting to noon. Events will include entertainment from Kiwi G, a meet and greet from Fireman Sam and a traditional flag raising and citizenship ceremony.

Karoonda:

What better place to recognize Australia day than the Karoonda Football Clubroom for an Australian Day Breakfast January 25? Breakfast starts at 8am and a presentation of awards follows.

If you are not visiting one of these locations, don’t worry, you will not miss out on the festivities. There are other events in towns everywhere in-between. You will have comedy debates, firework shows, races, and a plethora of breakfasts to choose from.

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Overseas Travel

Tuesday, January 10th, 2012

Overseas travel is exciting but also involves a lot of preparation. One of the first things that should be established before your journey is your budget. Once a budget has been determined, you are able to take the next step in planning your trip by creating an itinerary.

Whether you are going to explore a continent for a year, a few countries for six months or one city for a few days, if you are trying to stay within budget it is useful to have an itinerary. A general guide of where you want to go can help you establish what you want to see and gain insight into your overseas travel expense.

Perhaps your financial budget is not of any concern to you, but budging your time is. Creating an itinerary will also ensure you are attacking your expedition with the best plan possible and not zig-zagging across the world. Adding or subtracting days to a trip is easier before it has started.

Once an itinerary is laid out, you are then able to select which mode of transportation would be most efficient. If your destinations have a long distance between them, flying would be a reasonable option. If you are town hopping through the countryside, a train would be best way to get where you need to go. Find out how you want to get there, then do research to ensure you are able to purchase the dates you need.

Another big chunk of your overseas travel can come from your accommodation fees. Booking your hotel or hostel ahead of time will give you a good idea how much of your budget is left after this necessity is taken care of. This is also a good way to ensure you won’t be stuck rushing around your entire trip searching for your next night’s resting spot.

This small amount of preparation ahead of time can make overseas travel more enjoyable.

Tags: Overseas Travel
Posted in International Travel Insurance | Comments Off

Mosquitoes and Ticks

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012

You have been preparing for weeks for your hiking trip by arranging for a guide, re-lacing your hiking boots and learning how to use your compass. Perhaps you have even researched the foreign area you will be exploring and made notes on the map you will use. Another important thing that you won’t want to forget to do is be prepared for mosquitoes and ticks.

Although the threat of mosquitoes and ticks might sound minuscule, these little creatures can carry big consequences such as diseases like yellow fever and malaria. To be prepared for mosquitoes and ticks the CDC recommends the following preventative measures:

Avoid Outbreaks: Before your adventure takes place, check the regional disease transmission patterns and outbreaks to ensure the area you are headed to does not have a warning.
Dress to NOT impress: The mosquitoes and ticks that is. To avoid giving them easy access to biting you, wear clothes that cover as much skin as possible. Long pants should be tucked into socks or boots and shirts should be long sleeved. It is best to avoid shoes that are open such as sandals.

Don’t Bring Home Guests: After your time outdoors ensure that you don’t have any ticks attached to your clothes or body. If one is found, remove it promptly.

Use a Repellent: Not all repellents are made equal. Ensure that your repellent is providing you with long-lasting protection. Look for repellents that contain the following ingredients: DEET, Picaridin, Oil of lemon eucalyptus or PMD, or IR3535. When using a repellent ensure you read the safety precautions and instructions.

Be Aware: Research the time of day when the creatures you are trying to avoid bite most. Keep up your guard during the peak times and use preventative measures. You can also stay protected at night by using a bed net.

Tags: International Health Insurance, Mosquitoes and Ticks
Posted in International Health Insurance | Comments Off

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